Advanced SystemCare is IObit’s all-in-one package for boosting the performance of your system and keeping it running at optimum parameters.

Version 7 of the product has been released recently and integrates full support for Windows 8 and 8.1, as well as improvements and new utilities. This edition promises faster and more thorough scanning and makes available new components.

Among them are Homepage Protection, ManageMyMobile, Uninstaller and Program Deactivator, Start Menu 8, and Driver Booster. Their names are self-explanatory and some of them are available as standalone applications from the developer, free of charge.

The price for the entire suite is quite appealing, at $19.99 / €14.80 (VAT not included). During the installation, you should pay attention to all the screens unless you want a toolbar to find its way in IE or Firefox.

A short tutorial is launched at the end of the process, showcasing some of the new components and their purpose, and, at the same time, highlighting the advanced functionality of the suite.

The main application screen reveals four primary areas, each bringing to the table its own benefits. The first two, “Care” and “Toolbox,” are the most useful as they provide the means to initiate scans in order to determine the current state of the system, as well as launch individual tools and apply specific remedying actions.

In the first section, there is the possibility to check the system for various issues, from malware and activity history traces or the presence of unnecessary data, to detecting overall performance bottlenecks.

Most of the tools in this section can be configured by pressing the gear icon that appears when you hover the mouse over them, or you can do it from the general configuration panel of the application.

The scanning process is generally fast, but its completion depends entirely on the amount of data the engine needs to go through.

Results are displayed clearly and include the number of issues detected, as well as a rating that details the extent to which the system performance, stability, and security are affected.

All the problems can be reviewed and false positives can be eliminated from the list of repairs, but not all of them. However, the data that falls into this category is generally known to not have a negative impact if deleted, such as temporary or junk files.

The busiest section of the application is “Toolbox.” It makes available a huge number of utilities that can influence for the better the performance of the computer. There are six separate sections sheltering a total of 32 utilities.

However, not all of them are readily available. In some cases, they are downloaded and installed in the background as soon as they are accessed (e.g.: Disk Doctor, IObit Unlocker, Process Manager, etc.). The occasional shortcuts placed on the desktop and the new entries in the Programs and Features applet are the clear signs of the surreptitious activity.

The large number of entries is due to constantly adding new utilities to serve users’ needs, without getting rid of old ones. Depending on the operating system Advanced SystemCare is running on, some of the tools are downright obsolete because their functionality has been taken over by the OS itself.

Others just offer the mirage of improvement, because they are no longer relevant in the current context of hardware components. Nevertheless, they might bring benefits on more venerable systems stuck with older operating systems.

Advanced SystemCare 7 Pro includes anti-malware protection through the company’s free version of Malware Fighter application. It scans for malicious code and provides partial real-time protection, because not all shields are up and running like in the paid edition.

It is odd to see it pinned in the section with the cleaning tools, along with the uninstaller, registry and disk cleaners, and the file shredder. A more suitable position would have been under “Security.”

The same goes for ManageMyMobile, a tool that can handle the information on an Android phone. However, during our tests, the application failed to connect to a Nexus 4, although the device had been detected accurately. This happened probably because the component is still under development.

ManageMyMobile is not the only one in beta stage. So is Program Deactivator, an instrument designed to help disable background services, startup items, and scheduled tasks of applications, in order to reduce the load on the system and thus increase performance.

Advanced SystemCare Pro is not intended just for making the system run better and managing its resources to maintain it this way, but also for performing useful tasks like shredding important data beyond recovery, as well as retrieving files that have been deleted by mistake.

Additionally, it provides the means to enhance the boot speed and to check if any unnecessary processes are running. The startup and process managers can accomplish these tasks with certain limitations that are not encountered in some third-party, standalone tools.

The bundle also offers the possibility to learn about the hardware capabilities of the system through the System Information tool; during our tests, it managed to accurately detect the main hardware components on the test machine.

On the other hand, we noticed that Protected Folder, an app that should protect access to files and directories with a password, is in trial mode, with only 20 uses available until expiration.

Another utility present on the list is Start Menu 8, which adds a new start button under Windows 8 and 8.1 and restores the usability once available in all Microsoft OSes up to (and including) Windows 7.

Just like in other cases, Start Menu 8 is installed in the background and, at one point, the button will find its way in the lower left corner of the desktop, allowing easy access to important areas of the system.

The third main section in Advanced SystemCare 7 Pro is Turbo Boost. Its purpose is to disable services and applications working the background, according to a predefined profile (work or game mode).

Under “Action Center,” the fourth part of the bundle, we found exclusive purchase offers for IObit programs.

Advanced SystemCare 7 is an exhaustive collection of utilities that can improve the way your computer is running, as the developer pinned everything that is necessary to detect and manage the factors that are preventing the computer from running at its best.

The Good

Looks are quite impressive, and navigating through the interface is easy. The AutoCare feature ensures that the system is cleaned of malware, broken shortcuts, and unnecessary files.

The suite includes all the utilities required for improving performance, from defragmentation to de-cluttering, as well as extra tools for managing the computer into a better state.

The Bad

Some of the programs are in beta stage of development or in trial mode, which means that they are not highly reliable at the moment, or you have to pay for the full version to be able to use them.

Also, not all the components are readily available in the package; most of them are downloaded and installed upon access.

The bundle includes tools that no longer have an effect with current hardware and operating systems.

The Truth

Advanced SystemCare 7 Pro is not the best system optimizing suite on the market. It needs to refurbish and re-adjust plenty of the utilities it incorporates to the new operating system standards. Making it lighter and automating some of the settings would also be a great benefit for users.NOTE:We have 30 licenses to give away for Advanced SystemCare Pro 7. In order to win one of them, you are expected to come up with a smart post, positive or negative, about the application in the comments section below.

The campaign ends on Friday, November 15. Winners will be notified by the end of the next week; needless to say that we need valid email addresses in order to contact you.

NOTE

[April 20, 2014]: Softpedia and IObit are giving away unlimited license keys for Advanced SystemCare Pro 7. One key has a 1-year availability and works on 3 PCs. All you have to do is access this landing page. The Easter promo expires on Monday, April 21 at 15:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. PDT/PST), so make sure to claim it by then.